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A non-profit publication of the Office of the University Relations of Virginia Tech,
including The Conductor, a special section of the Spectrum printed 4 times a year

Statement by Gov. George Allen

Spectrum Volume 17 Issue 6 - September 29, 1994

RICHMOND--Governor George Allen released the following statement regarding
higher education:

Maintaining a quality system of higher education in the commonwealth, and
making higher education affordable for Virginia students has been, and will
continue to be, a top priority of the Allen administration. Our commitment to
all Virginia parents and students to hold tuition increases to the rate of
inflation is unwavering. As such, THERE WILL BE NO ACROSS-THE-BOARD CUTS TO
HIGHER EDUCATION.

In order to keep a college education affordable for our students, however, we
will be expecting greater efficiency from our colleges and universities.
Indeed, the only way we will prevent a return to skyrocketing tuition rates is
by requiring our state colleges and universities to run more efficiently.

Earlier this year, our administration restored $23.4 million to higher
education, thereby halting the double-digit tuition increases of recent years.
This critical funding was not restored to be squandered on bloated
administrative costs or indefensible overhead expenses. I will not stand for
such inefficiency and the parents and students of Virginia will not stand for
it either.

The General Assembly agreed with me in the 1994 session. It recognized the
need for greater efficiency when it passed a law requiring all state colleges
and universities to develop a restructuring plan that will increase efficiency
while maintaining quality services to students.

This year, when state agencies submit their budget plans, they ALL will be
required to show where they can streamline or otherwise achieve efficiencies
equal to 2 percent, 4 percent, and 6 percent of their budgets. To emphasize the
serious nature of the higher-education restructuring plan mandated by the
General Assembly, we have also requested that our state colleges and
universities submit similar 2-percent, 4-percent, and 6-percent proposals.

Each 2-4-6-percent reduction proposal from our colleges and universities will
be considered in relation to the overall effectiveness of each of their
respective restructuring efforts. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE REDUCTION
PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE IMPOSED IF A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY HAS SUBMITTED A
SATISFACTORY RESTRUCTURING PLAN.

In fact, most of the colleges and universities have already begun to implement
their restructuring plans. Through this process, several institutions, because
of successful and effective planning, have been able to reallocate the savings
created by their restructuring efforts back into ACADEMICS rather than wasteful
overhead and administrative costs--a clear indication that efficiency can be
achieved without any reduction to higher education.

Do not mistake the intentions of this administration in seeking efficiency in
our higher-education system. Our obligation is to Virginia students and their
parents, not to a stubborn determination to continue inefficient practices of
the past.

Incidentally, there are those who seek to instill fear by implying that
Virginians must choose between educating their children or protecting their
families from violent crime. This is simply false. It's a matter of priorities,
and when I ran for governor, I stated that public safety and education should
be the top two responsibilities of state government. Our administration
proceeds under that basic philosophy today.